From: "Stephan Kämper" <Stephan.Kaemper@...>
Date: 2004-06-23T23:38:18+09:00
Subject: Re: [OT] #! with WinXP's cmd.exe

Hi Shashank,

Hmmm, I'm getting more and more puzzled by this...

Shashank Date wrote:
 > <snip>
 >
 >>But the #! functionality (or is it a cmd.exe
 >>bug? ;-) ) was completely new to me.
 >
 > And so it is to me too :-0
 > It must be in combination with some thing, because when I do:

8< snip --------

 >
 > It doesn't seem to work ... or have I mis-read your statements?
 > -- shanko
 >

Yes, you're right. Apparently it's not *only* the #! line...
Rename j.cmd to j.rb and your example should work again.

Using an unknown file suffix, say 'foobar' leads to a Windows dialog 
that complains about an unknown file type.

Another 'experiment': I changed the #! line so as to point to my editor 
and saved it with the Ruby suffix (.rb). And as I (at least to a certain 
extent) expected the editor was opened.

So my conclusions are:

- My guess that cmd.exe can handle the #! line obviously is wrong.
- The assoc/ftype settings do in fact determine which executable
   is used to run/open the given file.
- Notwithstanding there's experimental evidence that changing
   the #! line does change the behaviour.
   As long as it's a Ruby file...

Hey wait! Just a moment... Did I read somewhere that Ruby itself 
interprets a #! line? (Hey, we just managed to get on-topic again...)

I faintly remember that Ruby could run Perl scripts if only they have a 
appropriate #! line. Is there anybody out there how could confirm this?

Happy rubying

Stephan